Love in New York: Valentine’s Day Guide 💘

Red roses are everywhere you look. Heart-shaped boxes full of chocolate and cute little stuffed animals sit in the windows of almost any store you walk by. It’s officially Valentine’s season in New York City! Whether you’re a sucker for all the romance and plan to spend it with a sweetie, or V-Day might as well be D-Day and you need something to help get you through the holiday, we’ve got the spots around the city to make your Valentine’s Day nothing short of memorable.

A culturally eclectic experience awaits downtown at Bell Book & Candle, a hidden gem of the West Village. For Valentine’s Day, they’ve put together a special prix fixe menu, which includes a bottle of bubbly per couple. For $200, you can choose specialty plates such as their Butter Poached Lobster with black truffle or an Organic Pork Tenderloin with chorizo cornbread stuffing. Their menu is perfect for any couple who wants to add some serious flavor to their evening.

If you’re dodging Cupid’s arrows this year but still want to go out V-Day weekend, head over to Elsie Rooftop, towering 25 stories above the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Their anti-Valentine's Day Celebration, Cheers to Being Single, won’t just feature your choice of either a specialty cocktail or a glass of Veuve Clicquot Sparkling Rose to help you forget your ex. Live entertainment, along with games and prizes, keeps the night alive and keeps falling in love far from your mind.

Sometimes, you want Valentine’s Day dinner that can be taken to go and enjoyed in the comfort of your own apartment. From the 14th to the 16th, Fornino in Greenpoint is offering a special $55 pizza lovers dinner for two. Your meal includes a platter of Italian cheese and fruit, your choice of any salad and last but not least, two choices of any menu pizza, served up in the shape of a heart inside of a square box with a big red bow. How’s that for a V-Day Bella Notte?

Looking to have a more subtle V-Day meal? Pop on over to Murray Hill to Hole in the Wall inside of the American Copper Building. This chic, minimalist eatery is offering live music between 6 and 9 pm on the 14th and if you make a reservation in advance, you’ll receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Be sure to take a sample Executive Chef Brent Hudson’s Wagyu Sirloin Flap with Hasselback potatoes or the Char-Grilled Branzino Filet served with Tuscan kale, hazelnut butter, and polenta crisps.

Brooklyn Chop House, tucked in the borough’s Financial District, will be serving their dinner menu with a sweet heart-shaped cake for two for $24.While spreading love like only Brooklyn can, the restaurant serves Dim Sum & Chops giving diners everything from homemade dumplings and noodles, to 50 to 60-day dry-aged Prime Steaks and Double Thick Cut Chops. After dinner, you can go on a romantic stroll over the Brooklyn Bridge, which is mere steps away.

It’s always a party at Haven Rooftop, nestled above the exquisite Sanctuary Hotel in Midtown. For Valentine’s Day, they’re unleashing a three-course prix fixe meal for two including a glass of prosecco for $105 per person. Choose from entrees like Filet Mignon with fingerling potatoes, Gnocchi with mushroom, parmesan, truffle, and white wine or their famous Lobster Risotto. Just be sure to save room for their cheesecake and chocolate-covered strawberries after dinner.

It may not be in NYC per se, but Zeppelin Hall right across the Hudson is more than worth getting on that quick Path train ride for. For V-Day, they are hosting a singles night with a Lip Sync Battle competition at midnight with a $500 cash prize to the person who mouths the words of their broken heart the best. There will also be a live DJ, dancing and red beer to get into the mood, complemented with free hors d'oeuvres beginning at 10 pm.

So whether you’re single or spoken for, whether you love or loathe it, New York City has you covered on how to make the first Valentine’s Day of the new decade one that you can fondly remember.